Before Eliud Kipchoge became a two-time Olympic marathon champion and world record holder, he was a young boy from rural Kenya who cycled to a local market to sell his family's milk.

Decades later, the same boy would become the first person in history to complete a marathon distance in under two hours.

His career includes four Olympic medals, two official marathon world records, five Berlin Marathon victories and one of the most famous performances in distance-running history.

His Story: Growing Up in Rural Kenya

Eliud Kipchoge was born on November 5, 1984, in Kapsisiywa, Nandi County, Kenya.

He was the youngest of four children and grew up under the care of his mother, a kindergarten teacher, after losing his father at a young age.

His childhood involved farm life, running to school and cycling to Kapsabet to sell milk.

As a teenager, Kipchoge developed an interest in competitive running. He approached Patrick Sang, a former Kenyan Olympic steeplechase medallist, for a training programme. Sang agreed and eventually became his longtime coach.

The Race That Changed His Career

Kipchoge's international breakthrough came at the 2003 World Athletics Championships in Paris.

At just 18, he won the men's 5,000 metres, defeating Morocco's Hicham El Guerrouj and Ethiopia's Kenenisa Bekele.

He subsequently won bronze at the 2004 Athens Olympics and silver at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

However, Kipchoge failed to qualify for Kenya's track team at the 2012 London Olympics.

He subsequently moved to marathon running, winning his debut race in Hamburg, Germany, in 2013 with a time of 2:05:30.

The change would transform his athletics career.

His Greatest Achievements

Kipchoge's most celebrated achievement occurred on October 12, 2019, in Vienna, Austria.

He completed the marathon distance of 42.195 kilometres in 1:59:40 during the INEOS 1:59 Challenge.

The performance was not recognised as an official world record because of the event's specialised pacing arrangements.

His official marathon personal best of 2:01:09, recorded at the 2022 Berlin Marathon, was a world record at the time.

10 Remarkable Achievements That Define Eliud Kipchoge's Career

This selection highlights Kipchoge's most significant achievements based on Olympic results, World Athletics records, major marathon victories and historical milestones. The achievements are presented chronologically rather than ranked by importance.

1. Winning the World 5,000 Metres Championship at 18

In 2003, Kipchoge defeated El Guerrouj and Bekele to win world championship gold in Paris. It was his first senior global title and established him among the world's leading distance runners.

2. Winning Olympic Bronze and Silver on the Track

Kipchoge earned 5,000-metre bronze at Athens 2004 and silver at Beijing 2008. These medals came before he began his marathon career.

3. Winning His First Marathon in Hamburg

On April 21, 2013, Kipchoge won the Hamburg Marathon in 2:05:30. His successful debut followed his transition from track racing to road running.

4. Winning the Chicago Marathon in 2014

Kipchoge secured his first World Marathon Major title in Chicago, finishing in 2:04:11. He went on to win 11 major marathon titles across Chicago, London, Berlin and Tokyo.

5. Winning His First Olympic Marathon Gold in Rio

At the 2016 Rio Olympics, Kipchoge won Kenya's men's marathon gold medal in 2:08:44, establishing himself as an Olympic champion in a second distance-running discipline.

6. Breaking the Marathon World Record in 2018

At the 2018 Berlin Marathon, Kipchoge ran 2:01:39, breaking Dennis Kimetto's previous world record by 78 seconds.

7. Becoming the First Person to Run Under Two Hours

In October 2019, Kipchoge completed the INEOS 1:59 Challenge in 1:59:40. Although the performance was unofficial, it marked the first documented sub-two-hour marathon-distance run.

8. Defending His Olympic Marathon Title

At the Tokyo Olympics, held in 2021, Kipchoge won gold in 2:08:38. He became the third man to win consecutive Olympic marathon titles.

9. Breaking His Own Marathon World Record in 2022

Kipchoge returned to Berlin in September 2022 and ran 2:01:09, improving his previous world record by 30 seconds. Ethiopia's Kelvin Kiptum later surpassed that mark in 2023.

10. Becoming the First Man to Win Five Berlin Marathon Titles

In September 2023, Kipchoge won Berlin in 2:02:42, becoming the first male runner to claim five victories at the event. His previous Berlin wins came in 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2022.

His Legacy: More Than Two Decades of Running History

Kipchoge's achievements span more than 20 years, from his 2003 world championship victory to his continued participation in international marathons.

He also helped draw international attention to Kenya's high-altitude running communities, particularly Kaptagat, where he trained for many of his greatest performances.

His career includes successes and setbacks. He finished sixth at the 2023 Boston Marathon and did not complete the marathon at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Nevertheless, his earlier records and championship victories remain central to his sporting legacy.

Kipchoge also established the Eliud Kipchoge Foundation, focusing on education and environmental conservation.